Columns

Faith-based organizations and national development

Oftentimes religion and politics are seen as strange bedfellows. The usual sentiment is to keep the two separate. “Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s and unto God what is God’s” is the cry of those who see these two as separate and distinct with no room for collaboration. I have always argued that there is room for both faith and…

The power of your network

We’ve heard it time after time: your network determines your net worth. I am a firm believer in this since, in order to create powerful linkages, to create new business opportunities and to grow your organization, a good network serves a great purpose. It doesn’t really matter what your endgame is; good networks are built on common values and goals. But how do you go…

Ready to serve Barbados

This should be my final article before the General Election and it has been an interesting three years. We formed on July 1, 2015, and published our complete manifesto on that same day. We have assembled a group of highly competent individuals who are innovators in their fields. They have an average of 20 years of management experience which has…

The right to vote

On Thursday, May 24, 2018, eligible Barbadians will participate in a general election to determine the members of the House of Assembly who will collectively lead our country for the next few years. This is an extremely important exercise which must not be taken for granted as the right for the people of a country to have a say in…

Island Fitness center plans to revolutionize health

Director of Island Fitness Center in the Pelican Industrial Village Dave Waldron is on a mission to revolution health care. At a recent health fair he introduced the Sports Art ICARE rehabilitation system which has the capacity to help him drive the wave of health and fitness change he intends to create. “The system is excellent. It is a user…

Foreign policy lessons from the resistance of the Rastafari

The use of force is still very much a part of the foreign policy and diplomatic considerations of all states, even small ones. In the latter case, what they consider is not using force themselves, but force being used against them. Force is seldom military in today’s world; it is more often economic. The wide and liberal use of sanctions, particularly by…

Promises, promises

There is a saying that “A promise is but comfort to a fool,” so I’m really not interested in the promises that are being bandied about in this election season. We still have promises outstanding from the current government's 2008 and 2013 manifestos and probably some from the other administration’s as well. I am more interested to hear what solutions…

Respecting principles of equality and justice

The promotion of equality and justice has long remained a part of the rallying call of trade unions. The principles of equality and justice formed part of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights. Countries which identify with the UN Declaration of Human Rights, reflect this in their constitution, whereby discrimination is denounced, and the freedoms of the individual are…

What’s at stake in this election

As was easily predictable, the Democratic Labour Party’s strategy in this general election campaign has turned out to be a virtual carbon copy of the approach used back in 2013 when Barbadians last went to the polls. The overriding objective is the same: provide an escape route for the DLP government to avoid coming under intense scrutiny over its poor…

Time to re-think political participation

The column Millennial Voices provides a platform for young people (past and current students at the Cave Hill Campus) to express their views on issues related to national, as well as regional developments. Effective citizenship requires that all members of society are able to contribute to constructive dialogue on areas that impact political life and social well- being. Democracy requires…

Lifestyle

Being the ideal artist

Top Barbadian artistes shared their insights and knowledge about the industry with upcoming artists at the Barbados Community College last Wednesday. The event was the inaugural conference, dubbed Being the Ideal Artist, of the students of the Bachelor's of Fine Arts in Arts and Entertainment, held at the Creative Punch Arena at the Barbados Community College. The industry experts who formed the…

Dive Fest Barbados seeking to protect Barbados’ Coral reefs

Dive Fest Barbados is now celebrating its second year with a mandate to protect the coral reefs and sea turtles in Barbados. The charge came from Barbados Dive Operator Association representative, Andre Miller who told members of the audience at UMI Restaurant, Sugar Bay resort, Hastings that 99 per cent of Barbados’ coral reef is overfished. “We [want] the world to know that Barbados…

Barbados wins Gold again at Chelsea 2018

by Keith Miller For the 19th time, the Barbados Horticultural Society has won a Gold Great Pavilion Award at the prestigious Chelsea Flower Show in London. This year, the Society chose the theme ‘Where Rum Comes From’ for its exhibit. To recreate the island’s natural beauty with a floral representation of a rum still in action, the team travelled with over…

Charity event attracts record numbers

A record 6,000 people participated in this year's Chefette Fun Run charity event on Sunday. Wearing neon green shirts participants trekked from Chefette Warrens to Chefette Fontabelle for the sixth edition of the charity run. Parents came out with their toddlers and teenagers -- some of whom were on skateboards and bicycles while others brought their pets along -- for…

One fine century

Felix Husbands who was born on May 18, 1918 is the oldest former member of the Barbados Landship serving on the Cornwall and Queen Mary ships. Sandra Hall gave remarks on behalf of the Hall family and described Uncle Felix, as he was affectionately called, as someone who had great mathematical skills and enjoyed cycling. “As a child I remember him being…

Eye on hypertension

As part of its activities for May Measurement Month and to mark World Hypertension Day, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Barbados (HSFB), partnered with the Barbados Defence Force (BDF), to establish a blood pressure monitoring site at Government House today. Governor General Dame Sandra Mason, who is also the Patron of the HSFB, participated in the event, along with…

Elcock celebrates milestone

George Albert Elcock is Barbados’ newest centenarian. Elcock joined the elite club today and to mark his birthday, he received a special visit from Governor-General Dame Sandra Mason who presented him with a birthday card and a bottle of non-alcoholic champagne. Though he was unable to speak, Elcock was responsive to his son Keith Best and other family members who…

Legendary literature

The Columbus Memorial Library of the Organization of American States (OAS) will add a copy of the book by Barbadian author Dr Sharon Marshall, Tell My Mother I Gone to Cuba: Stories of Early Twentieth-Century Migration from Barbados, to its collection. This library holds “one of the richest repositories for material on the Inter-American system in the world,” with books and periodicals dating back to 1535…

Café Paradis and the Cherry Tree Trust

After several years working in the food and beverage industry along the West and South Coast of the island, Samantha Robinson felt she was ready to pursue her dream of opening her own eatery offering customers natural drinks, salads and wraps. Today, the mother of five has done just that plus added a competitive edge, that is, offering food customized…

Fight the bite

While Chikungunya and Zika which swept the region in 2014 and 2016 are not expected back anytime soon, the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) is warning residents to “gear-up for the possibility of a major outbreak of dengue fever in 2018.” It says that’s because the pre-conditions of abundant mosquito vector levels still exist and increased levels of dengue are…

Entertainment

MoonLit Festival a first for Barbados

Local hip-hop artiste-producer-writer, Teff Hinkson is back like he never left. Last year, Teff announced that he was retiring from the music scene, but…

Nadia 'Aidan’ Holmes in the spotlight

If you are not too familiar with Adian, you might just remember her as the 2017 Banks Calendar Girl and also…

King Bubba ‘Jiggling’ for Crop Over

Adrian Ellias better known, as King Bubba, is the founder of Platta Studios, a composer, producer, DJ, radio announcer, artiste and performer.…

‘Tuk-it-Up’ to launch 2018 Crop Over Festival

The National Cultural Foundation promptly reminded Barbadians that the Crop Over season was swiftly approaching with the press launch of…

Mask Off turns the volume down

Imagine walking into a party with people dancing and gyrating but there is no music playing. It sounds bewildering, doesn’t…

No stopping ‘Journey’ on the airwaves

The countdown is on for the biggest festival of the year - Crop Over! Before the season switches into full…

DJ Psalms’: Staying True to Himself

Recently Bajan Vibes had the opportunity to sit down with one of the islands top deejays, Steven Blackett, better known…

Legacy: The Concert, leaves audience spellbound

It was a legendary and memorable night for St Michael School alumni last Sunday as the institution celebrated its 90th anniversary…

Bashment soca artiste Hardware is venturing into unchartered territory this Crop Over. The producer-singer known for his bashment soca hits such as Pop…

World

US: Trump cancels Kim summit amid North Korea 'hostility'

US President Donald Trump has cancelled a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, saying the world had "lost a great opportunity for lasting peace". He said his decision was because of "tremendous anger and open hostility" in a recent North Korean statement. The summit aimed at ridding the Korean peninsula of nuclear weapons and would have been the first…

Royal Wedding 2018: Michael Curry tells guests 'Love has the power to heal the world'

Love has the power to heal the world, the congregation at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle has heard. Bishop Michael Curry's energetic address included references to the civil rights movement and focused on the power of love, with a positive message about how love for all can overcome difference. Quoting Martin Luther King the presiding bishop of the…

Royal wedding 2018: Prince Harry and Meghan married at Windsor

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been declared husband and wife, following a ceremony at Windsor Castle. The couple exchanged vows and rings before the Queen and 600 guests at St George's Chapel. Wearing a dress by British designer Clare Waight Keller, Ms Markle was met by Prince Charles, who walked her down the aisle. Following their marriage, the couple…

NIGERIA - Students ‘tied to cross and whipped’ for being late

OGUN STATE – Three people have been arrested in Nigeria for allegedly tying late students to crosses and flogging them with horsewhips on a Nigerian roadside. The three - including the headteacher - were taken into custody after a police officer stumbled across the incident in south-western Ogun State. Pictures show at least two young people - one boy and…

CENTRAL AFRICA - Ebola outbreak in Congo spreads to large city

KINSHASA — Congo’s Ebola outbreak has spread to a crossroads city of more than 1 million people in a troubling turn that marks the first time the vast, impoverished country has encountered the lethal virus in an urban area. “This is a major, major game-changer in the outbreak,” Dr Peter Salama, the World Health Organization’s deputy director-general of emergency preparedness…

EAST AFRICA - At least 44 killed as dam bursts in Kenya

NAIROBI – At least 44 people have died after a dam burst in northern Kenya after weeks of torrential rain, officials said Thursday. Residents have been evacuated from affected areas as 40 people remain missing, a regional commissioner of Rongai division, Mwongo Chimwanga said. “Waterways have been opened to discharge water from one of the dams. A village near that…

WORLD - Outrage over death of young French mother after ambulance call mocked

STRASBOURG – A recording of an emergency service operator mocking a young mother, who died hours after her call was ignored, has sparked outrage in France. Naomi Musenga, 22, called Strasbourg’s ambulance service with severe stomach pain and said: “I’m going to die”. “You’ll definitely die one day, like everyone else,” the worker replied. The woman eventually called another service…

USA - Trump declares US leaving ‘horrible’ Iran nuclear agreement

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump withdrew the US from the landmark nuclear accord with Iran Tuesday, declaring he was making the world safer in restoring harsh sanctions. But he also dealt a profound blow to allies, deepened his isolation on the world stage and revived doubts about American credibility in the most consequential foreign policy action of his presidency. The…

WORLD - Second teenager allegedly raped and set ablaze within days in India

JHARKHAND – A second teenage girl is reported to have been raped and set on fire in the eastern Indian state of Jharkhand, just days after a 16-year-old was similarly attacked in the same state. It is the latest in a series of brutal crimes against women across India in recent months that have sparked outrage and large protests nationwide.…

WORLD - More than 110 killed by high-intensity dust storms in India

NEW DELHI – Fierce winds and lightning strikes created by a powerful dust storm have killed around 110 people and injured hundreds more in northwestern India since late Wednesday, according to local authorities. In the state of Rajasthan, at least 35 people died and more than 200 were injured after winds downed more than 8,000 electricity poles and uprooted hundreds…